1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photosensitive material drying apparatus, and in particular, a photosensitive material drying apparatus in which a photosensitive material is transported by a plurality of rollers and is dried by being blown by hot air.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional photosensitive material drying apparatus in which a photosensitive material, such as a photosensitive material used for graphic arts or a photosensitive material used for X-rays, is dried by being blown by hot air is structured as shown in FIG. 5. In this construction, a plurality of rollers 72 is staggered and disposed at even intervals within a photosensitive material drying apparatus 70. A transport path for a film 74, which is a photosensitive material, is formed in a straight line by the plurality of rollers 72. A plurality of hot air supplying chambers 76 is disposed at vicinities of the rollers 72 on both sides of the transport path of the film 74 so as to sandwich the transport path. The hot air supplying chambers 76 supply hot air generated by a fan and a heater (both unillustrated). A pair of hot air discharge openings 78 is provided respectively at the film transport path side of each of the hot air supplying chambers 76 along the transport path of the film 74. Hot air supplied by the hot air supplying chambers 76 is discharged via the hot air discharge openings 78 toward the surfaces of the film 74, which is positioned between the mutually opposing rollers 72. The film 74 is thereby dried by the hot air.
The rollers 72 are disposed in the photosensitive material drying apparatus 70 and convey the film 74. Mutually opposing ones of the rollers 72 are disposed at uniform intervals. A driving force from an unillustrated driving means is transmitted to the rollers 72 so that the rollers 72 rotate and transport the film 74. Further, the hot air discharge openings 78 are also disposed at even intervals along the transport path of the film 74.
However, in the photosensitive material drying apparatus, the plurality of rollers 72 is rotated by a driving force transmitted from the same drive source. When driving irregularities in a uniform cycle are generated by a drive system near the drive source (for example, faulty meshing of a worm gear and a helical gear), these driving irregularities are transmitted to all of the rollers 72 and are manifested as irregularities in the transport speed of a uniform cycle of the film 74. For example, when an irregularity in the transport speed of a uniform cycle retards the transport speed of the film 74, portions of the photosensitive material to which, when the irregularity in speed is generated, heat is applied by the rollers, which are heated by warm, drying air blown from the hot air discharge openings, or to which heat is applied by the hot air blown from the hot air discharge openings, are dried more quickly than the other portions of the photosensitive material. When the intervals between the rollers or the hot air discharging portions are an integer multiple of a driving irregularity cycle, the portions to which heat is applied, when the driving irregularity is generated, by the heated rollers or by the hot air blown from the hot air supplying portions, are repeatedly exposed to heat as they proceed through the interior of the drying apparatus. Because the drying of these portions is effected particularly rapidly, striped irregularities in gloss appear on the surface of the finished film 74, making the finish of the film 74 unsightly.